Protests outside government building in Armenia

In the wake of Azerbaijan launching ‘counterterrorism’ action against Armenia, protestors have gathered outside the government building in the Armenian capital of Yerevan. The protestors are demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and shouted ‘shame’ at the police guarding the building. The protestors also blocked access to roads outside the government building amid a large police presence. The Azerbaijani military operation has been met with widespread condemnation, with fears that the conflict could escalate into a full-blown war. Pashinyan has denied the allegations that Armenia was using Nagorno-Karabakh as a staging ground for terror operations, saying that Azerbaijan was using it as an excuse for the ethnic cleansing of Karabakh Armenians. In his television address following the start of Baku’s operation, Pashinyan declared that ‘Armenia is not involved in armed actions and does not have an army in Karabakh.’